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DNA

DNA stands for deoxyribose nucleic acid

This chemical substance is present in the nucleus
of all cells in all living organisms
DNA controls all the chemical changes which
take place in cells
The kind of cell which is formed, (muscle, blood,
nerve etc) is controlled by DNA
The kind of organism which is produced (buttercup,
giraffe, herring, human etc) is controlled by DNA

DNA molecule

DNA is a very large molecule made up of a long

chain of sub-units
The sub-units are called nucleotides
Each nucleotide is made up of
a sugar called deoxyribose
a phosphate group -PO4 and
an organic base

Ribose & deoxyribose

Ribose is a sugar, like glucose, but with only five

carbon atoms in its molecule
Deoxyribose is almost the same but lacks one
oxygen atom
Both molecules may be represented by the symbol

The bases

The most common organic bases are

Adenine

(A)

Thymine

(T)

Cytosine

(C)

Guanine

(G)

Nucleotides

The deoxyribose, the phosphate and one of the bases

Combine to form a nucleotide
PO4
adenine

deoxyribose

Joined nucleotides

PO4

A molecule of
DNA is formed
by millions of
nucleotides
joined together
in a long chain

PO4

PO4

PO4

sugar-phosphate
backbone

+ bases

In fact, the DNA usually consists of a double

strand of nucleotides
The sugar-phosphate chains are on the outside
and the strands are held together by chemical
bonds between the bases

2-stranded DNA
PO4

PO4

PO4
PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4
PO4

PO4
PO4

PO4

PO4

Bonding 1

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The bases always pair up in the same way

Adenine forms a bond with Thymine
Adenine

Thymine

and Cytosine bonds with Guanine

Cytosine

Guanine

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Bonding 2
PO4

PO4
adenine

thymine

PO4

PO4
cytosine

guanine

PO4
PO4

PO4

PO4

Pairing up
PO4

PO4

PO4
PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4
PO4

PO4
PO4

PO4

PO4

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The paired strands are coiled into a spiral called

A DOUBLE HELIX

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THE DOUBLE
HELIX
bases

sugar-phosphate
chain

15

A DIY model of
part of a DNA
molecule

replication

Before a cell divides, the DNA strands unwind

and separate
Each strand makes a new partner by adding
the appropriate nucleotides
The result is that there are now two doublestranded DNA molecules in the nucleus
So that when the cell divides, each nucleus
contains identical DNA
This process is called replication

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17
PO4

The strands
separate

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4

PO4
PO4

PO4
PO4

PO4
PO4
PO4
PO4

Each strand builds up its partner by adding

the appropriate nucleotides
PO4
PO4

PO4
PO4
PO4

PO4

PO4
PO4

PO4
PO4
PO4
PO4
PO4
PO4
PO4
PO4

PO4
PO4

PO4
PO4

PO4
PO4

PO4
PO4

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PO4
PO4
PO4
PO4
PO4
PO4
PO4
PO4

Genetic code 1

The sequence of bases in DNA forms the

Genetic Code
A group of three bases (a triplet) controls
the production of a particular amino acid in
the cytoplasm of the cell
The different amino acids and the order in
which they are joined up determines the
sort of protein being produced

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Genetic code 2

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This is a small, imaginary protein molecule showing

how a sequence of 5 different amino acids could
determine the shape and identity of the molecule
Ser-Cyst-Val-Gly-Ser-Cyst Ala
Val
Val-Cyst-Ser-Ala-Ser-Cyst-Gly
Val- Cyst-Ala-Ala-Ser-Gly

Each amino acid (Serine, Cysteine, Valine, Glycine and

Alanine) is coded for by a particular triplet of bases

Coding

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For example
Cytosine
Adenine

Codes for

Valine

Codes for

Alanine

Thymine
Cytosine (C)
Guanine (G)
Adenine (A)

Triplet code

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This is known as the triplet code

Each triplet codes for a specific amino acid
CGA - CAA - CCA - CCA - GCT - GGG - GAG - CCA Ala

Val

Gly

Gly

Arg

Pro

Leu

Gly

The amino acids are joined together in the correct

sequence to make part of a protein
Ala

Val

Gly

Gly

Arg

Pro

Leu

Gly

DNA and enzymes

The proteins build the cell structures

They also make enzymes
The DNA controls which enzymes are made and
the enzymes determine what reactions take place
The structures and reactions in the cell determine
what sort of a cell it is and what its function is
So DNA exerts its control through the enzymes

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Genes

A sequence of triplets in the DNA molecule may

code for a complete protein
Such a sequence forms a gene
There may be a thousand or more bases in
one gene

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Question 1
Which of the following are components of
nucleotides?
(a) deoxyribose
(b) amino acids
(c) phosphate
(d) enzymes
(e) organic bases

Question 2
Which of the following represent a correct
pairing of bases?
(a) adenine with thymine
(b) adenine with guanine
(c) thymine with adenine
(d) guanine with cytosine
(e) thymine with thymine

Question 3
DNA molecules are formed from
(a) organic bases
(b) amino acids
(c) deoxyribose
(d) nucleotides

Question 4
Which of the following are organic bases?
(a) Valine
(b) Guanine
(c) Thymine
(d) Serine

Question 5
Replication of DNA occurs
(a) During cell division
(b) before cell division
(c) at any time

Question 6
A nucleotide triplet codes for
(a) a protein
(b) an amino acid
(c) an enzyme
(d) an organic base

Answer
CORRECT

Answer
INCORRECT